2019: Tony Okoroji doesn’t represent creative industry, vote candidates that can fix sector, PMAN warns

Pretty Okafor, the factional member of the Performing Musician Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) is of the opinion that the Creative Sector has been ignored long enough, while contributing significantly to the country’s GDP.

To that end, Okafor has urged members of the union to choose wisely while exercising their constitutional right to vote and support candidates that will address the issues plaguing the Creative Sector.

He wrote on his Facebook wall; “The Performing Musician Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) deems it fit to address our members and the general public about the need to choose wisely while exercising their constitutional right to vote, the Creative Industry should support a candidate that will address the issues plaguing the Creative Sector, enact legislation via-legislative arm of Government, that will protect and regulate the exploitation of intellectual properties in Nigeria. The Creative Sector has been ignored long enough, while contributing significantly to the country’s GDP the creative sector remain without a structure and no copyright protection.

“PMAN is non-partisan and do not have any political preference, however the PMAN National EXCOS are currently reviewing the Policy statements of all Presidential candidates to see how it Impacts the Creative Sector positively.

“Let your vote count in February 2019, support the candidate with a clear and logical agenda for the creative sector,” says Okafor.

He also noted that his attention has been drawn to a statement in the media made by Chief Tony Okoroji, the former chairman of COSON, who gave an open invitation to Presidential Aspirants, inviting them to for discussions, supposedly on behalf of the creative industry and COSON.

Read also: ALI BABA TO BUHARI: Create enabling environment, enact policies to promote the arts sector

“Our attention is drawn to a statement in the media made by Chief Tony Okoroji, the former chairman of COSON, who gave an open invitation to Presidential Aspirants, inviting them to the COSON House for discussions, supposedly on behalf of the creative industry and COSON.

“Be advised, that Chief Tony Okoroji does not represent COSON nor the Creative Industry, the National Copyrights Commission (NCC) has suspended the License of COSON due to violation of COSON constitution, including financial discrepancies while he was Chairman of COSON. Therefore Chief Tony Okoroji is not authorized to speak for COSON and definitely not for the Creative Industry.

“PMAN is committed to total restructuring of the Creative sector, and therefore we advise our members to support the candidate that will ensure that the creative sector is properly structured with enabling laws and policies that will allow the industry to grow and generate unprecedented revenue to the country’s GDP.

Pretty Okafor’s comments are coming days after ace comedian Ali Baba penned an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to pay attention to the arts and entertainment sector as a means of diversifying the Nigerian economy.

According to the popular comedian in the open letter posted on Instagram, Buhari should endeavour to create an enabling environment and enact policies that will promote the aforementioned sector just like there are enabling laws governing the oil sector.

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